


Rainbow High

by singingtomysoul



Category: Arrested Development
Genre: Bullying, Character Study, Gen, Queer Themes, Queerbaiting, Recreational Drug Use, Underage Club Patron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/singingtomysoul/pseuds/singingtomysoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>His pants are way too tight for a kid his age, for this place, which isn't exactly seedy but definitely has its share of douchebags who don’t take no for an answer. What Tony notices, though, is the eyeliner laced with glitter, the hair spiked up into distinct points and the nail polish in fluorescent purple. He feels a flicker of self-satisfaction, but also something deeper, lacing it and making it sting a little. </i> </p><p>Tony Wonder experiences a rare moment of shame.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainbow High

The kid can’t be more than sixteen, tops. Tony doesn't know how he even made it to the Gothic Castle on his own, much less got through the door. He’s the kind of skinny, wide-eyed twink who is impressed by everything around him, like by virtue of being surrounded by a hundred other guys who like cock he’s just entered some kind of post-pubescent Narnia. 

His pants are way too tight for a kid his age, for this place, which isn't exactly seedy but definitely has its share of douchebags who don’t take no for an answer. What Tony notices, though, is the eyeliner laced with glitter, the hair spiked up into distinct points and the nail polish in fluorescent purple. He feels a flicker of self-satisfaction, but also something deeper, lacing it and making it sting a little. 

Tony usually hangs out after the show, signs autographs and entertains how-de-do-dat questions with an endeared chuckle. He slips to the bar this time, where he knows the grownups will be. The kid finds him anyway, though, because either his ID is a goddamn masterwork or the bouncers are blind today. He looks like his whole body is buzzing, like he’s swallowing down something like worship, as he steels himself to join Tony at the bar.

"Mr. Wonder? I’m Jeremy."

"I see you." Tony slides into the casual tilt of his head, the breezy tone that conceals ‘oh shit’ as easily as breathing. "Little young to be here, aren't you?"

"P-please don’t kick me out, I won’t drink, I just-"

"It’s cool, I don’t narc." Tony smiles indulgently, a little condescending, if the kid weren't too worked up to see it. "So what brings-"

"I just-" Josh or John or whatever says, overlapping him, and then laughs self-consciously like he’s going to kick himself a dozen times later. "I just really wanted to meet you, I needed. I needed to tell you how you saved my life."

Tony freezes with the smile still in place. He doesn't have a script for this. Do you nod all sympathetic like some second-rate therapist? Do you pull a Barbra Walters or an Oprah, except you've also got to pretend you've been in their shoes?

"I always loved magic, and all your DVDs, and I guess - I guess that’s because I always knew. Like since I was eight, that I was different. And magic is all about secrets. So I got really good at that, at secrets, because I had to."

"S-same," Tony says, and the word sounds weird and hollow in his ears, like he's profaned it. 

"But I wasn't good enough, I guess, I - I've been bullied, you know, and at first it was no big deal but it kept getting worse. Last year I had to drop out of school for a while."

"Look, kid, I’m not-"

Jake keeps going, like he’s been rehearsing this, working himself up to say it all without tripping. “And what got me through, what really made it okay, was when you came out. That thing you said - in the Backlot interview, how you said the real wonder was being true to yourself?”

"I’m - I said that?"

"It just. It was everything to me. You’re my idol."

Another man, a less talented liar, would have gone into panic mode. Tony wasn't that man. He took a breath, he paused for a count of four. He gathered himself.

"That’s great, little W. That’s so brave, man. And I know with all that heart you've got - and the look! Loving the look. You’re gonna be a big W someday too. Huge. I’ll be looking out for you.”

Joe’s eyes are a little wet, though that could just be from the smoke, but maybe not from how he keeps looking down and away. You do that when you’re hiding something. He babbles more thanks and looks about to dart in for a high five, or God forbid a hug, but he decides against it and runs off to dance instead.

Tony watches for fifteen minutes to make sure no creep starts grinding on him. He’s not sure what he’d do if someone did. Usually he nurses a glass of wine, but tonight he downs a shot or two, enjoys the heat and everything slowly turning fuzzy. He leaves early.

Sally meets him at the usual spot, about four or five blocks out from the club, where she serves as designated driver. If anyone asks, they agreed to say she’s his sister, but nobody ever does.

"Show go okay tonight?"

"Yeah," Tony says, and relives it quietly in his head, light and sound and glitter, hundreds of voices cheering. Every last one of them on their feet. "Yeah, crowd was blown away."

"I think we’re really getting the right buzz," Sally tells him, launching into some poll he earned a spot in on the Internet, an interview she’d secured for him next week in some British magazine. He filters her out almost immediately, counting the street lamps as they pass out the window.

"Just watch," she’s saying as they reach his apartment, "keep moving like this and you’ll be magic’s Lady Gaga." 

"I’m not feeling well," Tony says quietly. "I think I may get to bed early."

He makes sure she’s gone home, no longer expecting sex or a victory party, before he fishes out the bottle. He’s heard of magicians who use and abuse these things like candy, and he’s not surprised. Shame is a pretty familiar friend when you've played one too many children’s birthday parties. But any shame he’s ever felt has turned to anger, then determination. He’s used it for fuel. Roofie abuse is for people who don’t know where they’re going, who they are.

Tony knows where he’s going, and who he is, so he writes the details down carefully on a Post-it. “Attitude magazine, Thurs., 9am shoot. Online poll, Hottest New Gay Star, getting buzz.” The things he doesn't want to forget.

Then he chases the pill with a long gulp of water, and erases Jeremy from his head.


End file.
